Ford Vulcan engine
Encyclopedia
The Ford Vulcan V6 is a 3.0 L (2986 cc), 60° V6 engine
with an iron
block and iron heads
, used in some of Ford Motor Company
's vehicles from model year
s 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus
and Mercury Sable
. In 1992, it became the standard engine for the Taurus, and was the only engine available in the 2006–2007 Taurus. It was also used in the Ford Probe
, the Ford Tempo
and Mercury Topaz
from 1992–1994 (optional, but standard in the 1992 GLS, XR5, and LTS models), the Ford Aerostar
and Ford Windstar
minivan
s, and the Ford Ranger
and Mazda B3000 pickup truck
s. It replaced the Cologne 2.9
engine (to which it is not related) as the base V6 in the Ranger.
The Vulcan was a clean-sheet design using the metric system
. The engine block was cast by Cleveland Casting Plant from tooling built by Sherwood Metal Products, the intake came from Ford's Essex Casting, and the engine was assembled at Ford's Lima engine plant
in Lima, Ohio
.
The Vulcan is a straightforward pushrod design, with 2 valves per cylinder. Its bore is 89 mm (3.5 in) and its stroke is 80 mm (3.1 in). The engine was designed to use electronic fuel injection
from the start (there was never a carburetor
-equipped version), and was also sold in a "flexible fuel" configuration that could burn normal gasoline
, E85
(a blend of 15% gasoline
and 85% ethanol
) or any mixture of these two fuels.
In 1991, the Vulcan was updated with reduced friction pistons, a strengthened block, roller camshaft and other changes that resulted in a power rating of 140 hp and a torque rating of 160 lbft. In 1996 further improvements were made; all Vulcans were now equipped with a Distributorless Ignition System (coil pack), with a new intake manifold, changes in engine management and cam timing; output was further increased to 145 hp and 170 lbft. In 2000, power output increased again, up 10 hp and 16 lbft. A plastic upper intake was added in 2001.
It is likely that Ford
chose this name in homage to Vulcan
, the mythological Roman god of fire and iron-working, as the engine is a fully cast iron design.
The last production vehicle available with the Vulcan was the 2008 Ford Ranger
.
Applications:
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
with an iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
block and iron heads
Cylinder head
In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head sits above the cylinders on top of the cylinder block. It closes in the top of the cylinder, forming the combustion chamber. This joint is sealed by a head gasket...
, used in some of Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
's vehicles from model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
s 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
and Mercury Sable
Mercury Sable
The Sable was a very important sedan for both Mercury and the American auto industry.Ford had lagged in introducing mid-size front wheel drive cars to compete against General Motors' Chevrolet Citation and its best-selling Chevrolet Celebrity/Pontiac 6000/Oldsmobile Cutlass/Buick Century quartet as...
. In 1992, it became the standard engine for the Taurus, and was the only engine available in the 2006–2007 Taurus. It was also used in the Ford Probe
Ford Probe
The Ford Probe was a coupé based on the Mazda GD platform, and powered by a 2.2 L SOHC 4 cylinder Mazda F2 engine.The first generation Probe appeared in 1988 and lasted until 1992 in the United States. In some markets the model years were from 1987 to 1991...
, the Ford Tempo
Ford Tempo
The Ford Tempo is a coupe/sedan car model that was produced by Ford Motor Company for model years 1984 to 1994. It was a downsized successor to the boxy Ford Fairmont that introduced "jellybean" styling, which would later be shown on the larger 1986 Ford Taurus. and was replaced in 1994 by the...
and Mercury Topaz
Mercury Topaz
The Mercury Topaz is a compact car that was manufactured by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company for model years 1984 to 1994 as a slightly upscale variant of the Ford Tempo...
from 1992–1994 (optional, but standard in the 1992 GLS, XR5, and LTS models), the Ford Aerostar
Ford Aerostar
The Ford Aerostar is a minivan produced by Ford Motor Company for the North American market; the first such design by Ford, it was sold from the 1986 to the 1997 model years. It was sold in both passenger van and cargo van configurations in two body lengths with both rear wheel drive and all wheel...
and Ford Windstar
Ford Windstar
The Ford Windstar is a minivan that was produced and sold by the Ford Motor Company from the 1995 to 2003 model years. This front-wheel drive minivan was the second minivan designed by the company, serving as a replacement for the rear-wheel drive Aerostar minivan. The two were sold concurrently...
minivan
Minivan
Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....
s, and the Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck produced by the Ford Motor Company. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.In North...
and Mazda B3000 pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
s. It replaced the Cologne 2.9
Ford Cologne V6 engine
The original Ford Cologne V6, also known as the 'Ford Taunus V6', is a series of 60° cast iron block V6 engines produced continuously by the Ford Motor Company in Cologne, Germany since 1968...
engine (to which it is not related) as the base V6 in the Ranger.
The Vulcan was a clean-sheet design using the metric system
Metric system
The metric system is an international decimalised system of measurement. France was first to adopt a metric system, in 1799, and a metric system is now the official system of measurement, used in almost every country in the world...
. The engine block was cast by Cleveland Casting Plant from tooling built by Sherwood Metal Products, the intake came from Ford's Essex Casting, and the engine was assembled at Ford's Lima engine plant
Lima Engine
Lima Engine is a Ford Motor Company automobile engine plant located in Lima, Ohio. The factory was opened in 1957 as the site of production of Ford's MEL V8 for the Edsel car...
in Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
.
The Vulcan is a straightforward pushrod design, with 2 valves per cylinder. Its bore is 89 mm (3.5 in) and its stroke is 80 mm (3.1 in). The engine was designed to use electronic fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
from the start (there was never a carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
-equipped version), and was also sold in a "flexible fuel" configuration that could burn normal gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
, E85
E85
E85 is an abbreviation for an ethanol fuel blend of up to 85% denatured ethanol fuel and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. E85 is commonly used by flex-fuel vehicles in the US, Canada, and Europe. Some of the benefits of E85 over conventional gasoline powered vehicles include the potential...
(a blend of 15% gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
and 85% ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
) or any mixture of these two fuels.
In 1991, the Vulcan was updated with reduced friction pistons, a strengthened block, roller camshaft and other changes that resulted in a power rating of 140 hp and a torque rating of 160 lbft. In 1996 further improvements were made; all Vulcans were now equipped with a Distributorless Ignition System (coil pack), with a new intake manifold, changes in engine management and cam timing; output was further increased to 145 hp and 170 lbft. In 2000, power output increased again, up 10 hp and 16 lbft. A plastic upper intake was added in 2001.
It is likely that Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
chose this name in homage to Vulcan
Vulcan (mythology)
Vulcan , aka Mulciber, is the god of beneficial and hindering fire, including the fire of volcanoes in ancient Roman religion and Roman Neopaganism. Vulcan is usually depicted with a thunderbolt. He is known as Sethlans in Etruscan mythology...
, the mythological Roman god of fire and iron-working, as the engine is a fully cast iron design.
The last production vehicle available with the Vulcan was the 2008 Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck produced by the Ford Motor Company. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.In North...
.
Applications:
- 1987–1997 Ford AerostarFord AerostarThe Ford Aerostar is a minivan produced by Ford Motor Company for the North American market; the first such design by Ford, it was sold from the 1986 to the 1997 model years. It was sold in both passenger van and cargo van configurations in two body lengths with both rear wheel drive and all wheel...
- 1986–2007 Ford TaurusFord TaurusThe Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
- 1986–2005 Mercury SableMercury SableThe Sable was a very important sedan for both Mercury and the American auto industry.Ford had lagged in introducing mid-size front wheel drive cars to compete against General Motors' Chevrolet Citation and its best-selling Chevrolet Celebrity/Pontiac 6000/Oldsmobile Cutlass/Buick Century quartet as...
- 1990–1992 Ford ProbeFord ProbeThe Ford Probe was a coupé based on the Mazda GD platform, and powered by a 2.2 L SOHC 4 cylinder Mazda F2 engine.The first generation Probe appeared in 1988 and lasted until 1992 in the United States. In some markets the model years were from 1987 to 1991...
- 1991–2008 Ford RangerFord RangerThe Ford Ranger is a pickup truck produced by the Ford Motor Company. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.In North...
- 1992–1994 Ford TempoFord TempoThe Ford Tempo is a coupe/sedan car model that was produced by Ford Motor Company for model years 1984 to 1994. It was a downsized successor to the boxy Ford Fairmont that introduced "jellybean" styling, which would later be shown on the larger 1986 Ford Taurus. and was replaced in 1994 by the...
- 1992–1994 Mercury TopazMercury TopazThe Mercury Topaz is a compact car that was manufactured by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company for model years 1984 to 1994 as a slightly upscale variant of the Ford Tempo...
- 1994–2007 Mazda B3000
- 1995–2001 Ford WindstarFord WindstarThe Ford Windstar is a minivan that was produced and sold by the Ford Motor Company from the 1995 to 2003 model years. This front-wheel drive minivan was the second minivan designed by the company, serving as a replacement for the rear-wheel drive Aerostar minivan. The two were sold concurrently...